An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature in a semiconductor process chamber, such as a plasma assisted deposition chamber or etch chamber, is provided. The apparatus is constructed by a wafer platform, a heat exchanger for flowing a heat exchanging medium into the wafer platform, an optical sensor for sensing the temperature of a wafer positioned on the wafer platform, and a controller for receiving a signal from the optical sensor, comparing to a pre-stored value and sending a signal to the heat exchanger to increase or decrease a flow of the heat exchanging medium. In another embodiment, a plurality of thermoelectric cooling modules is utilized for enhancing the temperature control capability of the heat exchanger by embedding the modules in the wafer platform, such as an electrostatic chuck.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature comprising: a wafer platform for holding a wafer thereon; a heat exchanger for flowing a heat exchanging medium into said wafer platform; an optical sensor for sensing a temperature of a wafer positioned on said wafer platform, said optical sensor being an infrared sensing camera; and a controller for receiving a signal from said optical sensor, comparing to a pre-stored value and sending a signal to said heat exchanger to increase or decrease a flow of said heat exchanging medium.
2. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature according to claim 1 , wherein said wafer platform is an electrostatic chuck.
3. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature according to claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanging medium is a heated or a cooled heat exchanging fluid.
4. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature according to claim 1 , wherein said optical sensor is mounted directly over said wafer platform.
5. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature comprising: a wafer platform for holding a wafer thereon; at least one thermoelectric cooling module embedded in said wafer platform; an optical sensor for sensing a temperature of a wafer positioned on said wafer platform, said optical sensor being an infrared sensing camera; and a controller for receiving a signal from said optical sensor, comparing to a pre-stored value and sending a signal to said at least one thermoelectric cooling module to increase or decease a cooling effect.
6. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one thermoelectric cooling module is at least six thermoelectric cooling modules arranged in an array and embedded in said wafer platform.
7. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature according to claim 5 , wherein said wafer platform is an electrostatic chuck.
8. An apparatus for the real-time monitoring and control of a wafer temperature according to claim 5 further comprising at least one thermocouple probe mounted in said wafer platform.
9. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer situated on a wafer platform in a process machine comprising: a wafer platform for holding a wafer thereon; at least one thermoelectric cooling module embedded in said wafer platform; at least one thermocouple probe mounted juxtaposed to a corresponding thermoelectric cooling module; at least one thermocouple probe mounted in aid wafer platform; and a controller for receiving a signal from said at least one thermocouple probe, comparing to a pre-stored value and sending a signal to the at least one thermoelectric cooling module to increase or decrease a cooling effect.
10. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer situated on a wafer platform in a process machine according to claim 9 , wherein said wafer platform is an electrostatic chuck.
11. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer situated on a wafer platform in a process machine according to claim 9 , wherein said at least one thermoelectric cooling module is eight modules arranged in an array.
12. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer situated on a wafer platform in a process machine according to claim 9 , wherein said process machine is a plasma assisted process machine.
13. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer situated on a wafer platform in a process machine according to claim 9 , wherein said process machine is a plasma assisted deposition chamber.
14. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer situated on a wafer platform in a process machine according to claim 9 , wherein said process machine is a plasma assisted etcher.
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February 15, 2002
October 21, 2003
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